UTERChinook (king) salmon fishing in Lake Michigan
In Lake Michigan, Chinook (king) salmon peak May–September and are around April–October, spawning in September, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Offshore kings on spoons and flasher-flies over the thermocline.
Tail of the run in the rivers.
Chinook (king) salmon in Lake Michigan, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilArrivingSpring kings off the southern ports.
- MayPeakKings show in the south; smallmouth stack in Door County. Troll the spring kings off St. Joseph and Grand Haven; Sturgeon Bay smallies pre-spawn — catch-and-release early season.
- JunePeakSmallmouth on the beds; perch on the piers; salmon go offshore. Door County and Grand Traverse Bay smallies; perch from the southern piers; follow the temperature breaks for salmon.
- JulyPeakOffshore kings on spoons and flasher-flies over the thermocline.
- AugustPeakStaging off the pier heads — Ludington, Manistee, Frankfort.
- SeptemberSpawningThe run: Pere Marquette, Manistee, Big Manistee, Root River, Kewaunee.
- OctoberLeavingTail of the run in the rivers.
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish Chinook (king) salmon near Chicago, Michigan City, St. Joseph
The salmon lake: open water to 900 feet with kings and coho over the thermocline, the river mouths and pier heads of Michigan's west coast where the runs stage, the shallow southern end where the spring coho come in, and Green Bay — a walleye, pike, muskie, perch and whitefish fishery all its own.
Fish Scouter charts 434 lake spots in the Lake Michigan map area — the kinds Chinook (king) salmon hold on.
What to use for Chinook (king) salmon
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Anchovies (Pacific)Nose- or collar-hooked on a #4 to 1/0 hook and fly-lined with no weight, or on a dropper loop; a dozen tossed over the side as chum keeps the bass and bonito up.
- Salmon eggs (roe)A dime-sized spawn sac tied in mesh, or single eggs on a #10 to #6 egg hook, drifted along the bottom for steelhead, trout and salmon. Check the state's rule — bait is banned on many trout and salmon waters.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 44–60°F water, best at 50–56°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Chinook (king) salmon in Lake Michigan?
Peak season is May–September, with fish spawning in September (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Chinook (king) salmon are in Lake Michigan April–October. July: Offshore kings on spoons and flasher-flies over the thermocline.
Where do Chinook (king) salmon hold in Lake Michigan?
Look on fishing pier, river, creek / stream, lake — around Chicago, Michigan City, St. Joseph, Ludington, Manistee, Milwaukee.
What is the best bait for Chinook (king) salmon in Lake Michigan?
Live bait: herring, anchovies (pacific), salmon eggs (roe). Herring: Cut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
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All about Chinook (king) salmon · Lake Michigan, the whole year